1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to purses and more particularly pertains to a new and improved theft protection purse wherein a secondary purse is positionable within a pocket of said first purse and securable by a flexible tether line to a user of said purse to prevent theft thereof.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of theft protection devices in association with purses and the like is well known in the prior art. As may be appreciated, these devices in the past have normally required expansive structure or bulky and awkward arrangements to effect their use. In this connection, there have been several attempts to develop theft protection purses and the like which may be easily and efficiently utilized when desired. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 330,808 to Stoveken illustrates an early securement means of securing a purse by means of a pin and jaw arrangement to the garment of a wearer. The purse of this type is inconvenient to utilize and ineffective against theft as a purse may be easily torn from a garment it is secured to as opposed to the instant invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 394,043 to Whitlock illustrates the use of a flexible line that is to be worn about the head and in turn secured to the purse to prevent the purse from being stolen and secondarily, provide a more convenient means of carrying the purse about. The clearly obvious and awkward use of the device as well as the inherently conspicuous manner of protection limits its acceptance by contemporary society.
U.S. Pat. No. 463,169 to Scott illustrates the use of a chain securable to a purse wherein said chain may be secured to the apparel or the like of a user of the purse of Scott. This patent as well as others of this class ar not readily acceptable and are limited by their obvious means of maintaining the purse and in general do not tend to prevent theft as the purse itself is taken during a robbery procedure, as opposed to the present invention which allows a would-be thief to take what he believes to be the valuables while in essence allowing a user of the instant invention to keep such valuables by means of the secondary purse arrangement.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,461,588 to Cooper is another approach in purse protection as upon opening the purse an accordion-like diaphragm is actuated to effect a sounding device associated therewith.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,779,523 illustrates the use of a mere bracelet securing a purse about the wrist of a user. U.S. Pat. No. 3,286,751 to Dishart illustrates a purse or wallet secured by a chain-like tether to a ring or belt loop or the like of a user. The patents to Kilmkiewicz and Dishart are similar and are, as other prior devices limited in its effectiveness to enable a would-be thief to run away with a bogus purse leaving the user thereof unharmed in the process.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,744,132 to Korth illustrates the use of a purse theft protection device wherein a plurality of blade actuated devices enables the knives to be brought into play and cut the hand of a would-be thief upon attempted robbery. The Korth device may be as dangerous to the user as to the thief.
As such, it may be appreciated that there is a continuing need for a new and improved theft protection purse device which addresses both the problem of compactness and effectiveness and in this respect the present invention substantially fulfills this need.